The Heist The Dragons Sorrow
by pucascythe
Summary: The story of a group, trying to do a heist on a few dragons eggs, but will one of their faults bring them and the job down? When all goes wrong, the group disbands, but a mastermind draws them back together, with a few more friends. Will they get rich, or will the master take all they work for?
1. The Beginning and the End

Jamie

Everything was set up. Down to the routines of the guard, to the location of the scroll usage, to how they were going to get in and out, through the ancient cave, nothing would go wrong.  
"let's do this", saidLaszlo, a heavy bulky Orc, with incredible strength. We wielded his two handed ebony great sword with one hand, and held his massive shield in the other. He had muscled green skin and had dirt on his arms, but he had a face that would make a draught scream from a mile away.

"don't rush, you won't succeed unless with fulfil this plan to The very last detail Laszlo" said Taylor, a short dark elf, her Gray hair in a ponytail behind her head. She was not initially useful in battle, but could hold her own. But she was renounced for her famous other self, Zeera, a mysterious murderess with a passion for dark magic and agility that the spirit of the wind would envy.

"heh, he's right, it's planned down to everything possible. It's simple really, and when we succeed we will sell the dragon eggs and make our fortune." said gen, a fierce redguard with a skill with blades never seen before. She was the other warrior. While Laszlo would strike down before he was hit, with his brute strength, gen was a whirlwind, striking with flowing quick vicious attacks.

Her saying that brought Jamie back to reality. The dragon eggs. That's what they were after. If someone could harness them, they would have incredible power, so the eggs would be worth a small fortune. They were kept inside an imperial volt, at least these were. There were a dozen eggs discovered and they were given out to certain respected houses. Three to the imperials, three to the storm cloaks, and six to the dragon born and the grey beards, who had then given those out, one for the dragon born, one for the greybeards, one for the thieves guild, the college of winterhold, the companions, and even the dark brotherhood received one. The imperials were their targets.

The vault was under constant surveillance, and they had a team of frost mages keeping the eggs from developing further. It was beneath solitude, they had it specially built around the lake for the purpose of keeping the eggs cool. But they haven't seen this far ahead, there was a crypt which linked up to one of the bunk rooms for the mages. That was their in and out.

"JAMIE" shouted gen.  
"hunh, what?" jamie replied confused.  
" you went off in your mind again" said Taylor, spinning her staff  
Jamie sighed, " I'll try refrain from letting that happen"  
"alright, let's go" said Laszlo, and before a reply could be made he entered the crypt, into the inky darkness.

Taylor

As Laszlo entered the crypt, she heard Jamie sigh and enter afterwards. She nodded at gen and walked in, now holding her staff firmly. It was dark. As black as black, until Jamie used his candlelight ability and occasionally shot magelights at objects in front of him. Despite Taylor Jamie and Gen being skilled sneaks, laszlo's heavy ebony armour was making an incredible rattle, and she was sure he would wake the draugur.

But they slept. They entered the main chamber, and we're stunned by the amounts of coffins. Laszlo laughed, saying " well will a look at tha-" but he was cut off by gen holding a hand to his mouth. The sound of his thick voice echoed throughout the chamber, and one coffin fell, out came a draugur, but a shot from gen quickly put and end to that. But the corpse fell to the floor, crashing onto its own heavy shield, with a bang.

Another coffin fell.

Zeera

When she awoke, she stood in the hall like they had planned, holding Taylor's staff. She quickly put that on her back and drew her daggers. But all the coffins were opening now. This would ruin their plans, they needed the draugur to take out the imperials after they chased them to get back the eggs. She turned around to tell Jamie to use the guardian circle scroll, but he was one step ahead like always.

Leave it to Jamie to have plans in case something went wrong, which it usually did. But unravelling the scroll of a master restoration spell would take some time. Time she could buy. She threw her daggers up and unleashed two fireballs, then caught her daggers and plunged them deep into two draugur. She jerked inward and tore open their rotting flesh, sending one chunk into another nearby draugur and then that draugur shot and arrow which plunged into her side. She staggered back, but by then the scroll was ready.

Jamie raised both hands and everyone retreated into a circle around him. As the draugur closed in, he slammed his hands to the ground, and a glowing circle appeared around them all. The closing draugur all were set on a blue flame and retreated. as she was in the circle, her wound began to heal. Then they began a ranged assault. Jamie tossing destruction magic, Gen and Zeera shooting arrows ferociously. Laszlo was swinging his greatsword, which was big enough to hit three draugurs in a single swing.

But an arrow pierced her again, and despite Jamie's warnings, she dashed out the circle to dismantle her attacker, with Gen. and Jamie covering her from other draugur. But as she was retreating, they saw the biggest draugur they had ever seen. It was 8 feet tall, with a bow 7 feet high, and arrows as long as spears. Gens screams pierced all the noise of the draugurs, but In a flash, an arrow appeared in the bow, and in another second it was plunging through Zeera, how fell into the circle, and came out her back...

... And pierced Laszlo in the back and he fell out the circle. Before anyone had time to react, another hulking draugur appeared, and a greatsword appeared in his hand... 


	2. The Beginning after the End

Gen

As Gen wandered the streets of Whiterun, she wondered why she bothered showing up to the meeting. She was doing fine as a sellsword, and had received the favour of many and important man.  
"I guess it's the detective in me, a mysterious meeting, not exactly something to decline is it." Gen muttered under her breath  
"well, we'll find out wont we" said a familiar voice. Despite the group separating three years ago, nothing could make her forget the voice of her best friend.

she turned around to knock the dagger out of Zeera's hand and tackle her to the ground. They rolled around laughing in the middle of the square, drawing the eye of many a person.  
"Well hello to you too Gen" said Zeera  
"Hi Zeera, why no Taylor?" asked Gen  
"Ha, bandit raid on our travels, I think Taylor wasn't bothered and let herself be hit"  
"I know the group disbanded, but you here for the meeting as well?" asked Gen.  
"Yeah, I think it's Jamie's doing"  
"It didn't work the first time it won't work again"  
"Hey!" said a voice  
The both of them turned to see a young wood elf running down the street towards them. It was a young wood elf, thin and lithe, with a glass bow on her back along with a quiver of arrows. She wore no hood, to revel that her hair was long and copper with a feather tucked near her ear and her green eyes glinted mischievously. When she smiled at them, her teeth were white like polished pearl, and she wore a unique dark armour, fitted well to her body that made no noise when she moved. Even the midnight dark cape was silent, despite it flapping with the wind.

"My names Rose, I'm new around these parts, do you mind showing me to Dragonreach?" she asked politely  
"Quite polite language for a thief isn't it?" asked Gen with a knowing glance  
" Hah, believe me if I was trying to hide me being a thief I would have walked away with both your coin purses and be at Dragonreach already." she replied, with a smug grin on her face.  
"Anyway, we're heading to Dragonreach, feel free to follow us" replied Taylor  
"oh hey Taylor" said Gen, knowing Zeera was gone  
"Many thanks, got to get to the meeting on time right!" replied Rose, and in that moment she darted out of sight.

Rose

She sat there in the room, waiting for other people. She had situated herself in a little perch on the second floor. Only the absolutely keenest of eyes would be able to observe her where she was. She was trying to get a read of who it was that would be in the meeting. She knew the warrior and the other. Just by looking at Gen she could tell her battle prowess was astounding. But the other one, she had the build of an assassin, and could obviously be one, but the way she held herself, just didn't fit the description. She did initially, but then a change occurred, and she started to simply stand like a normal person, like she had never seen a battle.

The two walked in and scouted the room. When they began to scan the second floor, she hid in a place where she would remain unseen, but in return would be rendered unable to see them. When she heard them moving she looked up, to see them sitting down.

"Why don't you come down?" asked Taylor looking down at her dagger.

Rose was stunned. "I'll be right there" she replied. She was right. This girl had enough experience to detect not just a hiding person, but a hiding master thief. Though she doubted that Taylor was able to tell where she was, she knew she was here. That alone scared her. She crept out of her perch, to see Taylor and Gen sharpening their weapons.

"That's better" said Gen, but Rose knew that Taylor had told here where she was. But then a thought struck her. Gen had initially called Zeera, but at some point said something about Taylor being back. What if Taylor and Zeera were one and the same? That would explain the assassin build and experience. She knew this now, and wondered how she could use it to her advantage.

Annie

She wandered out of Farengar's office when she heard the sound of voices. However they appeared to be preoccupied. But when a young slim wood elf dropped from the second floor without a sound she yelped. The wood elf looked up at her with glimmering green eyes. The two at the table turned around, one a dark elf with her light grey, almost silvery hair in a ponytail behind her head. The other was a redguard, a girl with short brown hair, copper skin and an incredibly muscled physique. She looked at them, and then quietly moved to take her place at the table.

She could feel everyone's prying eyes, and felt the need to show her skill set. She began to use telekinesis to pick up objects towards her, and then see how accurately she could throw them. Just after she began to do this, everyone's eyes were taken off her, and the wood elf moved to sit by her.

"My names Annie, yours?" she said without even lifting her eyes off her target. They told her their names, Gen, Taylor and Rose. They began to make small talk between all of them, like 'Anyone know what this is about?' or 'Anyone notice we're all girls' but conversation was limited. Then the next arrival came. He was a Nord, hefty and strong, with black armour, with streaks of red. Combined with his black and red battleaxe, he reminded her of the daedra she had seen in her friends conjuration class. His blond hair was long, yet tangled and matted, reaching just above his shoulders. But when he drew the battleaxe, she saw what he was.


	3. The Team

Bryony

She walked away from the smithy with the bundle of glass weapons. The smith was too easy to manipulate, she got all this equipment for under a thousand gold. She loaded her mule and began to walk out of solitude. She looked back and smiled at the apprentice smith. He smiled back, his face flushed. This was almost too easy. But as she left she saw a shadow sneak in the bushes. She knew what this was, it wasn't the first time she had seen it, and it wasn't going to be the last.

She knew the kahjit trading caravans weren't pleased with her, but going to the point of sending an intimidator was just unnecessary, so she acted like she saw nothing and continued. Of course, she knew. When she began to walk, the shadow followed, all the way to dragon bridge. There she set up camp and began to flash her wares, purposely targeting the barracks. She tempted many a guard, and racked up a few thousand gold, still having a large supply of items.

By the days end she was packing up what she had, four dozen glass arrows, an ebony bow, and a glass bow. But of course she kept the best for herself, a dragon one dagger kept up her sleeve, sharpened to a razor point. Then just before she left her tent, she turned and took out the dagger, just in time to meet the kahjit's blade.  
"I'm here with a warning" the kahjit whispered, so as not to alert any guards.  
"of course you are, I know of Ri'saad's activities" she replied.  
The kahjit gave a small laugh, and sidestepped, but Bryony grabbed a hold of her wrist and twisted, forcing the Elven sword out of the kahjit's hand. She took the moment of shock and lurched forward, her dagger reaching her opponents throat.  
"send him my regards, now go find some moon sugar and get out"

Gen

She saw the raised battleaxe, and dashed forward, having her blade meet her opponents forearm, but before much could happen, a ward spell blocked the impact. She saw the young high elf was casting it, and turned to look at her, with frustration beyond compare  
"I suppose you want to help him murder us!" cried Rose  
"This is no murderer, look at him, if he were to try and kill us, he would have thrown his battleaxe and drawn the greatsword on his back, that would have eliminated one without giving complete disadvantage. Am I right?" Annie asked, looking to the Nord with a confident look.  
"aye, I suppose I would have done that, if I were tryin ta kill all of ye. I was initially goin to stick mah axe in the table and announce myself, but apparently that was impolite, so I'll skip the introductions. Oh and another thing," he said turning to Gen "if you draw a blade on me again, it decapitate you and see how far I can throw your head"  
"you try that, and I'm afraid it won't be me decapitated." she replied  
"oh cocky, sorry but that's my job" he declared as he sat down.  
"I will stick my bl-"  
"Kynareths sake, shut up or I'll have to poisin both of you till everyone gets here" said Rose, knocking an arrows with a green sheen on the tip.  
Conversation ceased after that.

A half hour passed, and no others arrived. No one had a clue what was going on, or why they were here. Zeera and Annie had a ranged attacking competition, Gen and the Nord, whose name turned out to be Leon, we're sparring, and Rose set out to return all the stuff she had pickpockets from each of them. No one had a clue what they were doing, or why they were here.  
Another half hour passed. They traded stories and legends, Leon's humble, but most likely true, Rose claiming to have tricked two dragons into killing eachother, still probably true, but when Gen claimed to have killed a daedric prince they stopped talking. No one had a clue what they were doing, or why they were here

Then a new arrival showed up

Leon  
As the newcomer walked in everything was silent. The only sound was his boots on the floor, and when Rose shot a fire rune set by Annie. The newbie looked at her sullenly then sat down by Annie. He was a breton, tall, yet not giant, lean, but not muscled.  
"judging by e fact that your the high elf, I take it that was your fire rune." the Breton asked Annie  
"Yeah, that was me, what's it to you?" she replied  
"Well, I assume I'm here to be the attacking Mage of the group"  
"Annie already has that job" said Rose, protective of her friend.  
He set a fire rune a dozen meters away. " shoot that and compare the power of it compared to her" he replied.  
Rose got up and shot it. She was forced back onto her chair when the blast rose a dozen meters. He and Annie threw up a ward, but the force was still incredible.  
"Hm, maybe your right" said Rose, fixing her hair.

"Of course I'm right, I've trained with the college of winterhold with her for years, I know her skills"

Annie's face flushed. She knew Jamie for a long time. He had excelled in all that he did when he came to the college. Despite claiming to have no training he was already adept in destruction magic and an expert in conjuration. It was only a matter of time before he became a master conjurer, and he constantly summoned two thralls as 'guards'. Leon didn't trust him. Annie was one thing, she was a master healer, and he had great respect for the school of restoration, it had saved his life many a time. But this guy had an aura of destructive power around him. Not the soft gentle magic used by Annie, one designed for harm.

"Now let's get down to business." He said.


	4. Deduction

Ace

"You mean to tell me that the egg vault was placed on top of a cave full of draugur!" Yelled the imperial captain. The Lieutenant made a whimper, and then squeaked his apologies. "I'm sorry captain Ace, but how were we to-"

"How about you get some sense in that head of yours and scope the area you're about to put three dragon eggs in! there was a direct link to the floor of that vault! What do you think would have happened if there was a real break in!" The lieutenant mutter something intelligible.

"Speak up!"

"We found signs of a break-in in the cave"

The captain drew his dagger and stabbed it into the table, a mere inch from the Lieutenants hand. "Get out of my sight or else I will throw you to the very draugur that posed the problem!"

"Another things sir"

"You have thirty seconds."

"We lost three men to a giant draugur, or at least it appeared to be a draugur."

"Get rid of it, NOW!"

As the lieutenant fled from the captains growing wrath, Ace sat down to a flagon of Alto Wine, pondering what had happened. He had risen to this position, and the divines knew what he would do to anyone who tried to take it, but these were troubled times. With the rising interest in dragons, people would pay extraordinary amounts for three dragon eggs, even he knew that. That posed a problem

Jamie

He had been in Dragonreach for the past few hours, simply using invisibility for a while. He was concerned that Taylor or Zeera would be able to detect him, but she was distracted by Rose, and he remained unknown when she relaxed. Then, when Leon caused a commotion by accident, he slipped out and tried to deduce what all this meant. He started by researching why Dragonreach was empty, a thought that had been on his mind for a while.

He discovered that the Imperials made a call for all the most influential people in Whiterun, and the Jarl was encouraged to bring all his staff. While they were supposed to have locked up, Jamie took a different route, through the window, and after that the lock was picked by Rose. The call was suggested by an Imperial captain, but his name wasn't known by anyone he found on short notice. But then he decided to use his skills. He figured that everyone was supposed to come together, and he was to be the analysis of the group, so that's what he did. Analyse.

He deduced from everyones skill set that they, as a group, would be exactly what was needed to steal the eggs. Rose as a scout, and capable of unlocking any door in their path, Annie to heal and detect and defeat the draugur, Leon, Gen and Zeera to fight, and him to help fight and use the power of deduction and his mind. He then entered the room and declared his magical skill with the fire rune.

"Now, let's get down to business. Someone wants us to steal the Imperial dragon eggs."

At that moment everyone's attention was drawn. Rose looked up, excited to steal such a valuable item, Annie and Leon curious, but Gen and Taylor's faces were devoid of emotion.

"Jamie…" whispered Gen

"It wasn't of my doing. While the odds are in favour that someone here organised this meeting, I had nothing to do with it. I can't afford to go through what happened last time again, and neither can both of you."

They looked at him, then nodded and became completely absorbed in what he was saying. He spoke of how someone needed them, and how he deduced that, and how everyone was to be useful. He told them how dragonreach was empty. But then came the hardest part. Rose asked why it was such a sensitive topic between him Gen and Taylor, and he explained what happened, those two years ago, when he was only nineteen, and Gen and Taylor twenty each.

"And then the draugur came with a greatsword over him and-"his voice cracked and he broke off his sentence there

"You don't have to finish, we got the gist." Rose said comfortingly.

"Then we fought our way to create a column and dashed out. Draugur can be strong, but they aren't quick. We escaped. But we disbanded. Jamie to focus on his magic and to gain knowledge, he went to the College of Winterhold, were I assume he met you" Gen nodded at Annie. She nodded back. "I went to the companions, to hone my fighting, but soon they bored me, and I left to become a private sellsword, for Maven Black-Briar, and Taylor travelled the world, learning about nothing in particular, but she honed her fighting and her magic in that time. But none of us would arrange this again, meaning if one of us were to have organised it, it would be one of you." Gen crossed her arms when she finished, and gave a glare at them.

Then the sound of Rose's laughter filled the hall.

Bryony

She was running, having managed to sell all of her wares, and storing it in her home in Solitude. She was trying to find refuge. What she had done was stupid. She relied on the same techniques as the Kahjit, trading around through each city, and they often took the same trade routes. They were angry at her business excelling further than theirs, but now she had gone too far, and they will be angry, very, very angry. When you anger an opponent, that has connections, you are in trouble. She is new to the business, and has few contacts.

Sure, she is Imperial and is allowed in the cities, that was her primary advantage, beside the skills of persuasion and her praiseworthy abilities of seduction, but if she's lying in a ditch, cold, those abilities aren't going to be of much use, are they. She could run to her brother, a newly positioned Imperial captain, but she didn't know where he was. It was raining, which helped her hide the tears. But then a thought struck her. She turned on her heel and strode back into Solitude. She knew someone who she could blend in with, who the Kahjit wouldn't go near.

She decided to serve the Jarl of Whiterun.


	5. The Cave, The Blood, The Death

Rose

As she laughed, everyone stared at her, a few even daring to draw their weapons and spells.

"Mind telling us what's so funny?" Asked Jamie with a tone of calmness that she could tell know one else was going to have.

"Ahh, nothing, you're just sounding kind of stupid right now. You think one of us organised it hunh?" questioned Rose. She leaned across the table to look into Jamie's eyes, "then why haven't one of us simply announced that they have organised it?"

"The answer is simple really" He looked down then flicked his long across his forehead. "The organiser will be planning on stealing the eggs from us afterwards so they gain total profit."

It was a short sentence, but it still darkened the atmosphere in the room. Everyone began to look around at each other. "But since we can't tell who, we are just going to have to steal it first, and figure out the rest later."

"So what resources do we have? How are we to pull a heist without proper equipment." Murmured Leon.

"Ha, you want to make a new weapon don't you?" quizzed Annie.

"Of course, I'll need a brand new blade to pull off this" Leon snapped, with a surprising tone in his voice.

"Well, Eourland Grey-Mane has a grindstone you can sharpen with, but I'm sure Annie would be happy to give your blade a bit of magic to boost it" Jamie countered, wiping the tone of anger off Leon's face, ending the conversation in its tracks. "but what I want to know Leon, is why would you be angry at something small like that?"

"Angry? Wha-what do you mean angry?" Asked Leon, a bead of sweat dripping down his head. There was another small detail, but Jamie picked up on that as well. When he understood what it meant he began to laugh.

"You have a crush on Annie don't you!" Replied Jamie jokingly, with a smug grin on his face.

By this point Annie was also blushing. "A Nord and a young High Elf, an unlikely pair, wouldn't you think" Taylor said with a smirk. "But I've seen weirder, you try pair an Argonian with an old Wood Elf…"

Laughter filled the hall, and the tension in the air was lifted. Eventually Jamie went to the 'bathroom', used an invisibility spell and put Leons arm around Annie. They were acting like a group of old friends, until they remembered why they were here.

"So let's get to the details" Gen began

Annie

She rode in front of Leon, beside Rose. She felt a bond with the young thief, being the youngest there besides her, and another elf. She also felt like Jamie was someone she could talk to, at least when he was in a good mood, but all they really talked about was magic and the plan. She looked to him more like an older brother than sister Rose was. They talked through the whole ride about each other's skills, Rose stopping at one point to shoot the leaf off a tree 50 feet away, her stopping to heal a wounded rabbit. Then Rose had to bring up what was really on their minds, Leon. She had laughed at first, and tried to put down the conversation, but Rose insisted, agreeing to reveal a secret of her own in return for the chat.

"It's not that I don't like him, he's great, it's just… He's not really my type." Answered Annie, ending the last sentence in a whisper.

"Not one for the brutish right?" replied Rose "Can't blame you really, he's not the most attractive I've ever seen, and you can do better." Annie blushed. "Ha, I've been to the summer isles, and I've seen, and stolen from, a lot of High Elves. You have to be one of the most naturally beautiful I've ever seen, you don't need a charm potion to get anyone"

"Charm potion?" Asked Annie.

"I may have taken a look at you notebook in your bag…" replied Rose

"Oh lord! I mean to sell that not to… I never…" Annie fumbled. She couldn't think of the right words to say. Rose just laughed in reply, fixing the feather tucked behind her ear. They were riding to somewhere that information could be found. What they were looking for was information about the job, but secretly they were searching for information about behind the job. While Rose was happy, more than happy, to go into solitude and search for the information herself, but Jamie wouldn't take the risk.

They were heading to the thieves guild, to try and find someone to get information, but had no connections or proof if she got caught. So basically, they were on their way to see Vex. Now once Jamie brought her up, that's when Rose began to go, how should I put it, Miffy. Not depressed, but just moody, like the day has had nothing good happen to her. the only way to cheer her up was Annie. Rose and Vex weren't exactly the best of friends, to say the least. Rose hated her for being a 'stuck up, pompous, untalented scoundrel' and Vex didn't even acknowledge Rose.

They only a few dozen miles from of Riften, so they decided to make a camp for the night. When everyone was sound and snug, Annie, who was a restless sleeper decided to get up and watch everyone. While other nights they had always put someone on watch, tonight they settled with placing a few runes.

But this wasn't security against these people… or more like things

Ace

He stood restlessly outside of the draugur cave. He didn't like this place. It didn't take a court wizard to sense the vibe coming from it. But they plunged in anyway. They were planning to go in and set up explosives, and seal the cavern off, keeping in both the draugur, and keeping out anyone wishing to steal what was his to guard.

He had a few wizards setting up fire runes along the path, and they have barrels upon barrels of explosives. They would light the fire runes from aar and they would create a chain path right to the explosives, and then BOOM, the cave would come crashing down like a bear falling from a REALLY big cliff. But he was waiting for the scouts report. He wasn't a wimp, but he most certainly didn't like the sound of the lieutenants story, and as such, it was in his best interest to send forward someone with the best chance of surviving, for precautionary measures. It wouldn't be great if they blindly wandered into a cave full of draugur, with no knowledge of the areas around them.

"Alright!" barked Ace, standing up fully in order to loom down at his subordinates. While in truth he was a kind soul, he knew kindness got you very little in the imperial army.

"This cave is directly linked to the bottom level of castle dour, the place where the imperial treasure is located. If someone were to try and steal them, this would be the area to do it! Now get in there and Bring it down!"

A cheer went up through some of the men, but it was half hearted, just like every other boring day at this part of the army. Some men were excited to finally be able to have an exploration job, but most weren't scared of a few draugur, especially since all they were doing, was going a few hundred metres into the cave and blowing the thing up.

But then it, bloody and wounded, crawled out of the cave, before collapsing in front of the men.

It looked up at Ace and whispered two words.


	6. The Charming Dagger

Taylor

She walked calmly through the cistern, some people glaring at her coldly. She didn't belong here. Not that she wouldn't be a talented thief, but only initiates of the thieves guild, or contacts with permission were allowed in the cistern. But this was a strategy. She knew of the secret way into the cistern, so what else might she know about the thieves guild, and as such they let her walk into the ragged flagon

But the Flagon was a different tale. When you walk out of the cistern, and you're not allied with the thieves guild, that raises a few questions. In here they had Vex, Delvin, and Brynjolf.

"Who are ya, and why are ya here" Asked delving, almost politely, despite his hand being on the dagger and his hip

"I'm…" Began Taylor. She wasn't a master thief, but anyone could know that having an alibi was a useful thing in the world of thieves. "Kora. My name is Kora"

They knew she was new here, that her alibi was something she had thought of just then. Vex drew her blade. "And the second part of the question? Why are you here?"

"For you Vex. I have a job that requires a particular set of skills that you have"

"Well you could have said it was a job initially. But I think you'll find my services don't go cheap. You may want to go with a cheaper thief. I know just the gal"

"And that is?"

"Oi Vex" said Brynjolf, creating a pause in their conversation. "You mean her don't you?"

"Yes. It's about time she got her hands dirty on a contract, not just making easy pickings of delving and my jobs"

"Fair point, but is the lass ready"

"Brynjolf, she's made more gold for the guild in a month than what Vipir has in a year. Give her a go. As much as I hate to say it, she may have as much talent as Rose did"

That final word peaked Taylors esteemed curiosity. "Did?"

"Rose, oh where to begin? I personally didn't like her, but no one could deny her skills. It was as though she was the spirit of shadows, she was so good at what she did. And when she couldn't sneak around, her skill with alchemy and her bow was legendary. But no one knows what happened to her. One day, she just vanished, which shouldn't be to hard for her to do. But what's it to you?"

Taylor was already preparing her answer while she was talking, she couldn't stumble and seem like a fool again, then she would lose all of the guilds… belief in her. "Well you said she had skills equal to the girl you'll give me, so I wanted to know more about her." Taylor put this knowledge of Rose onto a mental note for later

"Well, here she is" Vex raised her voice when saying this, and Taylor turned around to see the girl drop from the ceiling

"Hi I'm Kaitlyn" The girl said cheerily. She looked so innocent, no more than 16. She had long hair, brushed to look like a curtain of brown silk. Her face was slender, but not cold, her eyes a bright green and filled with life and joy.

But Taylor looked past her face and saw how supple her body was. She was around average height, but she used her body well, strength in the lower legs, and upper body, precisely where a thief needs strength to be stealthy.

She was perfect

Leon

He was laughing his head off. He chugged another bottle of black briar mead and nearly fell to the floor laughing. However, the sullen man to his right was sick of Leons drunkenness and kicked him over

"Quit it will yah!" he yelled, trying to get the message heard over Leons roar

Leon sobered up quickly after he heard the man yell it the third time. But despite his head beginning to pound, he still managed to maintain his cocky attitude.

"Looks like someone is thinking there big enough to push me around" Leon replied, a snarky grin on his face

"I'm big enough to kill a drunken fool" replied the man, drawing a dwarven sword

Leon simply laughed in reply and walked out. Despite him appearing very drunk, he was very good at holding his mead, and he was renowned for being a fantastic heavyweight, only becoming completely drunk when he had drunk his whole bodyweight in mead, and by that point he was vomiting anyway!

The man followed soberly, "So is it a fight you want, because I will stick this blade in your heart before you can finish saying yes"

Leon stopped slouching, and stood straight. He was at least half a foot taller the man. He cracked his knuckles, his neck, and then his shoulders. He drew his massive battleaxe with a single hand. And slammed it's butt on the ground.

A flash later and the man fell onto his butt and bounced a little bit, his blade skidding across the cobblestones.

"Leon?"

His ears pricked and he turned to see Annie smiling up at him. He smiled sheepishly back.

'God she's adorable' he thought to himself. 'No! Bad Leon! We mustn't get caught up emotionally in this, we're here for the money so we can pay for her medicine… Poor little thing…'

Jamie

Rose and Annie hadn't stopped squealing for the entire trip. No one could blame them, they had a new friend in Kaitlyn. But while Annie was excited, Rose was completely eccentric, She was Kaitlyn's best friend at the guild before she disappeared, despite her being the apprentice of Vex. They finally arrive in Solitude, without anyone following them. So at this point, the mastermind wasn't tracking them, unless the mastermind was someone in this group. But Jamie wouldn't let himself plant that seed amongst them. Their current objective was to retrieve the eggs. He would figure out the rest, with the help of Kaitlyn.

But what the group did know as they were going to solitude to retrieve information. The only lead Jamie had found was that it was a imperial captain. Kaitlyn's objective was to find out whom. The lead Jamie had given her that everyone else had forgotten was that he or she was newly recruited. He kept the major details secluded. He needed to do this. After what happened the last time, whoever had the gall to call them all together was asking for trouble, and he wasn't going to let them get away with such reckless greed.

They arrived with the friendly welcome of a blade to the throat


	7. KaitlynRose Backstory Prt 1

Kaitlyn

As Kaitlyn held the blade to Jamie's throat, Annie gasped, Leon and Gen had completely straight faces, but Rose and Zeera sniggered, the thought of Kaitlyn murdering Jamie right here to be rather amusing. Kaitlyn however had a grim look on her face.

She pushed him off his horse, to which he replied with a roll, managing to land on his feet. Gen reached to nock an arrow, but when she reached for her quiver, she came back empty handed. Annie charged a fireball, but Rose looked at her and shook her head. Kaitlyn got off and walked into a forest with Jamie

"And you're doing this because?" Jamie began, hoping for an answer in return

As a reply Kaitlyn had a surprisingly soft tone, at least for someone with a dagger to someone's throat and another eleven throwing knives in her belt.

"What are you doing?" She asked. "Why can't I tell anyone else the entirety of our arrangement?"

"You're a thief though, why would you want to tell them? What connections have you formed with them?"

"Heh, Rose and I go pretty far back"

**_FLASHBACK_**

The clouds were finally dropping their buckets over Riften. Kaitlyn was running from the drunken men, her dress torn and dripping, a patch of deep, dark crimson on her shoulder.

"Come back here, ya pretty little thing" One of the men said, stumbling towards her, before tripping, nearly bringing the other man down with him. But he was fit, and young. He jumped away and dashed towards her at break neck pace. She ran, and ran, but he caught up to her in what seemed like a moment. Time seemed to slow down. She saw the lazy drops falling down and prepared for what was going to happen when The arrows tip plunged into his neck. When she looked and hoped to see a guard, all she saw was a girl, judging by her armour an archer, walking by calmly an arrow on her back. She pulled up her hood but Kaitlyn saw the smile on her face.

And then everything went black

When she woke, she was sitting in a comfortable bed, lined with feathery pillows, and soft, silky blankets. God where am I, she thought over a splitting headache. She felt the back of her head and felt no lump on the back of her head, and her hand came back void of red. She looked to her side an saw a small mark weeping a few drops of blood.

Poison

The thought flashed across her mind, and with attention drawn to it, she began to feel the dull ache in her side.

Rose walked out the door. "Sorry about that. My name's Rose."

"Kait-"she began before trying to stand and falling back on the bed.

"Just wait, I'm mixing a potion to fix you right up"

Kaitlyn replied with a sigh and allowed herself to sink into the soft pillows. "So what're you doing with such a fine home?"

"Hah, in my line of work, money is made very, very quickly. Especially with skills like mine" rose boasted. Kaitlyn was forced to believe her story. Looking at the aalchemy shelf, it was lined with expensive ingredients, even a jarrin root. Kaitlyn simply waited there on the pillows. When rose was down, she placed a bowl carved with ornate blue roses on kaitlyns lips. The potion was sweet, a little less sweet than honey.

"Thanks. Why does it taste so good?"

"I made it that way, and you're welcome. If I didn't add a certain concentrated honey it would have tasted like the jarrin root you were looking at"

Kaitlyn would have been surprised by how she knew she was looking at the root, especially while focused on her alchemy, but adding up all that had already happened, this didn't seem too huge.

"Um, do you mind if I ask you something?" Kaitlyn asked, a shyness in her voice.

"Ask away dear friend, ask away."

"**_WHY DID YOU KIDNAP ME"_** She yelled, loud as her voice would let her shout, which wasn't very impressive since she had been drugged not a few minutes ago.

"Oh, was that wrong? I am ever so sorry" Rose replied, conjoining her fingers to make a 'platform' of sorts.

"Yes, yes it most _definitely _was"

"Truth is, I am here to be your gateway." Rose replied, now with a tone of seriousness. "You have two options. Your first is join me here, in my job, living in the lap of luxury."

Kaitlyns ears pricked at the sound of that. When she heard the word luxury, she silently shunned herself for stroking one of the soft blankets. "and the second option?"

"Don't join me. As I said I'm your gateway, but you can choose to stay as the little girl, out in the streets, in the rain. You can stay as the girl who gets chased by men. You can stay as that. I can't tell you to do anything. But make your choice"

At the first sound, the choice was obvious.

**_Luxury _**

Kaitlyn was a girl of expensive tastes, but little money. Yet she couldn't help but hesitate. This could be dangerous, I could get killed, she thought. But what did she have to lose. Friends? She had none. Parents? Abandoned her years ago. She took Roses hand. "When do we start"

**_PRESENT TENSE_**

"So that's how you met Rose."

Kaitlyn lowered her blade "yeah, yeah that's it."

Jamie yawned "And what did this achieve?"

Kaitlyn shrugged as she sheathed her dagger. "No idea"

"Cool" Jamie vanished.

Kaitlyn smiled and walked back to the horses, the same grin on her face as Rose had in the tree above her.

"God she's come so far"


	8. RoseKaitlyn Backstory Prt 2

Rose

She sat in the tree reminiscing.

**_FLASHBACK_**

She sat perched watching the guards routine. They were trained so well, only a few blind spots were ever open. But there were blind spots.

"I stole you some food" Kaitlyn remarked, holding out a golden roll of bread.

Rose took it from her, and after a quick smile, took a bite into the sweet, glazed food. "Thanks"

"No worries. So how's it look?" she asked, glancing at one stationary guard.

"Hm, shouldn't be a problem for us, but they haven't made it easy."

"Fun" Kaitlyn rolled her hands over themselves.

Rose made no reply, instead saying it's was time by dropping silently to the ground. Kaitlyn followed, drawing knives to her hands. Rose agreed and knocked an arrow, her string only making to slightest mark of being stretched. As a guard walked by, they dashed forward. But Kaitlyn hadn't noticed the pressure plate, and hadn't trained the light foot technique, as rose did. She flipped back as the poisoned darts began to fire. But the guard noticed. He turned and drew a sword and shield. As Kaitlyn quickly scanned the premises, she noticed rose had gone, but a shadow flashed on the pipes above her.

Kaitlyn ran towards her attacker, but as he braced she took a short left, and ran up the wall, flipping off and releasing two knives, plunging into her attackers shoulder and neck with a soft squish, spraying blood over everything within a two foot radius. She landed softly and brushed her arms. When she heard the grunting she turned just in time to see him crash into her, shield first.

He ran down the hallway at such a speed she was glued to the shield. She took out her dagger, and repeatedly stabbed him, again and again and again and again, until eventually, he fell to his knees and she rolled on the floor, in a small pond of thick crimson. She took out the potion just in time, and drank until she finished the whole vial. She sneaked back down the hallway, until she saw a line of dead bodies leading down a hallway, and looked up to see Rose brushing her arms in the same fashion.

"Oh screw you"

Rose just shrugged, as she went to pick up her arrows. "Sorry, I thought you'd have trained with light foot by now"

Well, you could have at least told me

Rose didn't answer, instead going to pick the lock of a nearby gate. When she was finished she walked through.

"Now, this is my time to shine" Kaitlyn said, a glint in her eyes. She always researched the most dangerous part of the mission, and she loved being able to do something without Rose's help." There are dwarven traps in these ruins. We can either sneak past them, which will be faster, find a different, safe path, which will be slower, or take the pipes path, which will be fast if we can find a way to get up there."

Rose looked around, then drew a dagger and stabbed a part of the wall with intricate carvings, and a whole lot of steam was released. A nearby hole opened and out spilled a dwarven spider, limp as a blob of jelly.

"Or we could do that"

Kaitlyn walked off with a huff. Rose always did this, never gave her a time to shine. Like earlier, when Kaitlyn took out a guard, she filled a hallway with every other guard in the area. Rose just looked at her with a smug grin, almost like she was happy with Kaitlyn. _If only she'd realise that I want her to start acting more like me, _Rose thought to herself.

_Maybe I should start acting more like her, thinking with my mind, not my brain. What does that even mean? _Kaitlyn pondered, wondering where she got that thought from.

They walked down the hall, Kaitlyn occasionally checking a broken dwarven device for the occasional soul gem, Rose just kicking broken metal on the ground for the heck of it, until Kaitlyn through a dagger at one skidding plate, and stopped it's sliding with a _twang_.

"Wait a second Rose"

"Yo" Rose made a hand sign, drawing in her thumb, ring and middle finger, making a rock sign, and holding it in front of her chest.

"What are we looking for?"

"An altar"

"Say what now?"

"You know, an altar"

"Yeah bu-"

"Those pedestals people pray on"

"**_I KNOW SHUT UP!_** What I meant was, why are we looking for an altar? What could we gain from that?"

"Something I've been planning to help you become a better thief"

Kaitlyn stomped her foot in frustration "So you're saying I'm not a good enough thief now!"

"Yup, you need to stop thinking with your head, start thinking with your mind" Rose replied

**"WHAT DOES THAT MEAN!" **Kaitlyn screamed, on the brink of pulling her hair out.

"It means, as a thief, we take the easy way out. We don't work to get what we want, we let others do it for us. You saw earlier, instead of using your well thought out, dreary and boring plans, I cut to the chase and cut off their power."

"So I need to think in the moment you mean…" murmured Kaitlyn

"Meh, something along the lines of that" Rose shrugged, kicking another metal strut.

"So is the altar one of nocturnal?" Kaitlyn asked, aware of their great patron Nocturnals power.

"No idea" rose remarked, walking in a soldier-esce fashion, bringing her knees and elbows high when she walked.

"Honestly Rose, I'm about to give up on you. If you don't know what it's for, and if we can't steal it, what use is it?"

"Like I said, it will improve your skills as a thief. How I'm not sure. It might take my knowledge and give it to you, or just bestow you with knowledge or skill itself, I don't know. All I know is that it needs a willing receiver, and someone close to them, so close their bond is spiritually materialised."

"We have a _Spiritual Bond!_" Kaitlyn remarked, with a glint in her eye

"I have no idea!" Rose replied with equal enthusiasm.

But soon they walked into a huge room, filled with tens of altars. They formed a sort of cone, all of them leading up to the end, increasing in size and elaboration until the last one was in view, a plain black altar, looking more like a stand than a ritual location. In the middle, was a small spiral, about a metre high. It was basically a big spike, but formed of many twisted layers of rock.

"Alright let's get crackelackin!" Rose started

"And just how d-" began Kaitlyn

"With these!" Rose lifted the bag of soul gems that Kaitlyn had filled on the journey. Kaitlyn's hands went to her rear pocket, and when she felt the empty air, she gave Rose a stare that would cut anyone else deeper than all of Kaitlin's knives, but Rose was already getting to work, placing a trapped soul on each of the altars.

"Alright go touch that altar"

"And why should I?" replied Kaitlyn stubbornly.

"Just do it"

Begrudgingly, Kaitlyn went over, but the moment the tip of her finger reached the spike, a blue light lifted her and she floated a few inches off the ground. When she realised what was happening she began flailing wildly. Rose positioned herself of the top altar, attempting to contact whatever daedric lord operated this dreary place, all the while attempting to drown out Kaitlyns screams. Then she made a breakthrough.

All the crystals began to glow, and in a single flash of light, were gone. Then a glowing purple _thing _appeared.

"WHY HAVE I BEEN CALLE DHER MORTALS!" Lord Hermaeus Mora boomed.

"Please, in return for those souls trapped within those dwarven machines, filled with the knowledge discovered by dwarves that has yet evaded you, please fill this girl with knowledge of the path of shadows!" Rose beckoned, arms outstretched. Kaitlyn had stopped screaming at this point, now with a mix of curiosity and desperation in her eye.

"Agreed, as your sacrifice pleased me." The Prince vanished, and in his place was a shadowy mist, which turned into wind and went into Kaitlyn, who thereafter dropped to the floor.

"I thought you said they had to be willing."

"Well I don't know, I heard it from some drunken guy in the Bee and the Barb."

"so you put me on an altar and subjected me to a daedric prince without knowing anything that was going to happen?" Rose nodded. "Then how did you know to say the dwarven souls were filled with knowledge?"

"That was just kind of an in the moment thing I pulled from thin air."

Kaitlyn sighed, and turned to see a knocked arrow by Rose. Kaitlyn dashed around her and threw a knife at Rose's leg. Rose had to use her blink ability, the ability bestowed by nocturnal, allowing one to move at incredible speeds for a short period of time, to dodge.

"Hmph so it did help"

"Shame he didn't give me the Blink ability though"

"That's not the lord of knowledge's business"

Kaitlyn only replied with a huge grin, and after a few seconds, a tackle hug to the floor.

**_PRESENT TENSE_**

Rose jumped down and walked calmly towards them, through the bushes. She smiled at Kaitlyn, but that was cut to an end when cold steel met her face, spraying blood and a few teeth to the ground.


End file.
